Submarine craft



Oct. 26, 1943. c. J. B AEiR 2,332,549

SUBMARINE CRAFT 'Filed Ju-1 '15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l m "i IH f B i F. I

I NV NTQR GARL J. BAER A-rrY.

Oct. 26, 1943. c. J. BAER 2,332,549

SUBMARINE CRAFT Filed July 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M be a g a i i i 2} Y! a m H v [a $3 I NVENTQR CA'R L 1B AE'R' ATTY- Patented ()ct. 26,1943

UNITED STATES [mm OFFICE son-MARINE CRAFT Carl J. Baer, Lemay Station, Mo.

Application July 15, 1941, Serial 1x10402529 5 Claims. (emu-mu V i I This invention is concerned primarily with the provision of multiple submarine craft by means of which there may be remov'ably nested upon a submarine, of normal size; and during partial or total submergence thereof, one or more auxiliary submarines and I consider it to be a material improvement over my patent on a Marine carrier, Number 2,134,352, and dated October, 1938.

In the above mentioned patent there is the contemplated use of small marine units in a mother ship and separable therefrom by flotation methods. The parent craft in said patent being a streamlined dry dock with a gate hold, a hatch susceptible of opening and closing and admitting water, when the craft is partially submerged, into certain compartments in the parent craft thereby enabling the flotation of smaller units in and out of the parent craft without the use of mechanical equipment, however, the modified craft under this application contemplates the structure of craft known as submarines in two or more units of vessels of the submarine type each of which is fully equipped and operative independently as submarines, and which may be designed in any ings there'is shown what is herein described as a parent craft A and an auxiliary craft B,,and

'whilefthe drawings do not show detail of structure of bulkheads, conventional operating mashape, form, size or type, and of such structure that the miniature submarine is removably nested in and attached to the hull of theparent submarine, during complete submergenoe, in such manner that a passageway may be established through connectible hatchways formed integrally on the surface and with the hull of both of said craft, and said 'hatchways may be opened or sealed at will.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of this inven tion reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a side elevational view of a embodying my invention.

Figure 2, is an enlarged side elevational view of the stern portion of the hull embodying my invention, and partially in section.

chinery, radio equipment, and rigging, it is in tended both the parent and the auxiliary craft shall be of normal structure with such exceptions asmy invention may require and fully equipped that they maybe operatable either-when joined together or separated for multiple or single submarine usage. 1

Suitably disposed Within the surface of the hull of the parent craft A, are de'pressions2 forming a nest or recess for seating the auxiliary craft B, the line of said depression or recess following substantially the contour of the lower portion of 'withdrawal from said'nest, angle of bow slope being more abrupt than stern slope to-provide the further element of an abutment for the aux iliary craft, at lower portion of its bow, when nested. i

Substantially centrally disposed in said depres sion or recess, is hatch 3 and within the hull of-the baby submarine is a hatch 4 said hatches having complementary joint parts composed of male and female portions 5 and 6 respectively and during nesting of the auxiliary craft upon the parent craft there is interval, said portions 5 andB, gaskets 'l andt through which sealing of the joint is efi'ected when the auxiliary craft is weighted by water suitably disposed within the hull in sufiicient amount that its contents of water plus weightof craft is heavier than the amount of water which the auxiliary craft displaces in normal operation. The auxiliary craft may also be held in juxtaposition with the parent craft Figure 3, is a plan View of the stern portion of a submarine hull embodying a part of this invention.

Fig. 4 is a broken View and section on substantially line 4--4 Fig. 2 of a portion of the hull of the parent craft, disclosing channels in nesting depressions within said hull, and an auxiliary craft nested in one of said depressions.

Now referring more particularly to the draw craft by suitable mechanical means.

Longitudinally disposed within the nest 2 are channels l2 to permit the flow of water under the auxiliary craft without afiecting its'nesting properties and enabling-the miniature submarine to operate its driving propeller, rudder or other driving mechanism while seated in the nest and to aid in releasing it from or seating it in its nesting place. i

It is obvious that the above described-complementary connection forms a double hatchway which maybe opened or closed by removal or replacement of the hatches 9.

During the above described. nesting operation water is accumulated with the hatchway 5 and to provide suitable drainage means for same, before opening the hatchway, I provide a drainage opening from which suitable controllable drainage means may be extended.

Location posts or rods can be placedat the bow and stem points of the nest 2 for use as guiding means for the miniature submarine to locate its position above the nest in which it is to rest. The shape and design of the nest is inconformity to readily make the hull of the auxiliary craf fit substantially therewith, joined with the weight of the water in said hull sufficient to sink it'in place.

From the above description it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the details of construction illustrated herein may be varied without departure from the novel subject matter herein disclosed. It must therefore be understood that except as limited by the claims the invention is not limited to multiple submarine craft of the shape shown and described, or to the shape of the nest, holding means as between submarines when nested, or structure of the double hatchway, although utility resides in this structure.

Although not shown in the drawing it is obvious that man passage may be established as between two or more nest hatchways by means of water tight pipe or other suitable means foreign to the convential compartment passage ways, thereby providing means for escape from any compartment in submarine connected thereby.

While it is not considered an essential part of this invention, if it is so desired, mooring lines may be considered a part of the rigging of the auxiliary craft, and which, when in communication with the parent craft, may be used as an aid in the nesting operation, or to maintain a linked contact with the parent craft, when unseated from the nest and in flotation.

The utility of submarine craft as herein .described is far reaching, aside from having all the utility of the present day submarine, this type of craft provides added utility including such elements as a safety means especially in case of damage to a parent or associated auxiliary craft, further such a combination would be useful for carrying on combatant or observation service in view of the fact that the auxiliary units could distribute themselves in various areas for combat service and return to the parent craft for supplies and admitting the parent craft to take its resting place and discharge its auxiliary units for duty where ever required.

What is claimed:

1. A combination submarine and auxiliary submarine carried by and adaptable for nesting on said submarine, a nesting depression for said auxiliary submarine within the hull of the submarine, said depression having bow and stern ends sloped at greater angle than the configuration of the auxiliary submarine to be nested thereon, to permit forward or backward longitudinal movement of the auxiliary submarine dur ing entry to or withdrawal from said nest.

2. The combination of a submarine and auxiliary submarine carried by and adaptable for nesting '"on said submarine, a nesting depression for said auxiliary submarine within the submarine, said depression having bow and stem ends sloped at greater angle than the configuration of the auxiliary submarine to be nested thereon, to permit forward or backward longitudinal movement of the auxiliary submarine during entry to or Withdrawal from said nest, the bow of said depression sloped at an angle to further provide an abutment for the lower portion of the bow of the auxiliary submarine when nested.

3. The combinationof a submarine and auxiliary submarine carried thereon and adaptable for nesting on said parent craft, a nesting depression for said auxiliary submarine within the hull of the submarine, said depression having bow and stern ends sloped at greater angle than the configuration of the auxiliary submarine to be nested thereon, to permit forward or backward longitu dinal movement of the auxiliary submarine during entry to or withdrawal from said nest, and longitudinal channels disposed within the base of said depression to permit flow of water under a nested submarine, without affecting nesting properties, thereby enabling submarine propulsion within said nest.

4. The combination of a submarine and auxiliary submarine adaptable for nesting on said parent submarine, a nesting depression for said auxiliary submarine within the hull of the parent submarine and longitudinal channels disposed within the base of said depression to permit flow of water under a nested submarine, without effecting nesting properties, thereby enabling submarine propulsion within said nest.

- 5. In a craft, comprising, a submarine and auxiliary submarine adaptable for nesting on said parent submarine, a nest for said auxiliary submarine within said parent submarine and means disposed within said nest to permit flow of water under a nested submarine, without affeeting nesting properties, thereby enabling sub marine propulsion within said nest.

CARL J. BAER. 

